Simple and Clean
by Goddess-Isis-112
Summary: [REWRITE] Sakura relinquishes her love for Sasuke, finally taking notice of Naruto's love for her. But things don't turn out as simple as she expected.
1. Chapter One

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DISCLAIMER: Fortunately for all of you, I do not own Naruto for if I did, I'd keep him all to myself ^_^ Also, the song doesn't belong to me either. I don't own anything!

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Author's Note: This is a HET fic (sorry all shounen ai/yaoi fans) based on Utada Hikaru's song "Simple and Clean (lyrics will only show in the 1st chapter)." ^_^ One definite pairing in this story is Shika x Ino because I think they're cute together ^_^ I don't know, however, who'll end up with who…could either be NaruHina, SasuSaku, NasuSaku, LeeSaku or even KakaSaku…My muse hasn't made up her fickle mind ^_^ This isn't following the story line very much and the characters may get a little OOC, so you can call it an AU. I'm still relatively new to the Naruto fandom so please excuse my mistakes! I live off of reviews, so please leave a comment or two (but no flames! gah, nothing is more discouraging than flames). And I know I have a ton of other stories to finish, but my muse wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it, so here it is!

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Simple and Clean   
By: Goddess-Isis-112

**Chapter One**

* * *

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When you walk away you don't hear me say

"Please, oh baby, don't go."

Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight

It's hard to let it go…

* * *

Sakura had always watched Sasuke walk away, and Sasuke had grown tiredly accustomed to Sakura's usual request for his company as they headed home after their daily missions. However, as of late, Sakura found herself asking Sasuke out of habit instead of actual want, knowing that she'd receive the same answer he'd always given to her: "No." 

No matter how much her feelings for him had grown during all the years of training together, his constant rejection of her affections was more than a little unnerving, and it was slowly getting to her day by day. She loved him; every time he'd look her way, her heart would pound erratically with excitement, and she would know just how much she felt for him. However, even that perfect feeling wasn't enough anymore. She needed more than the occasional glance, or, dare she hope, rare smile that he flashed in her direction. Yes, when he acknowledged her existence, she was ecstatic, but more often than not, he was distant and cold toward her, and it hadn't been until recently that she realized that the times he made her feel useless and unattractive greatly outnumbered the times he'd ever made her feel happy.

And she was tired of it all. No matter how much she loved him, she was willing to let him go. She tried to give him her all, and still it wasn't enough. He never truly responded to her affection, and the way things were going, she was sure he never would. Day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, it was the same.

* * *

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Wish I could prove I love you

But does that mean I have to walk on water?

When we are older you'll understand

It's enough when I say so.

And maybe some things are that simple.

* * *

Her thoughts fled to Naruto, and she felt her cheeks flush slightly. Naruto was loud, boisterous, and completely idiotic at times, but he doted on her, protected her, and as they grew older, the childish crush he had on her seemed to grow into something more substantial. She wasn't completely sure, but whenever he looked into her eyes, she could tell that somehow the feelings he felt for her had grown past the blind admiration he had previously held for her. It was extremely touching to say the least, and the more Sakura thought about it, the more she realized that maybe, just maybe, she was starting to feel just a little more for Naruto.

She sighed when her mind inevitably tossed Sasuke back into her thoughts, and her heart grew troubled. He was just too far beyond her reach; no matter how close she seemed to get to him, he always pulled as far away as possible, continuously keeping a gap between the two of them.

Today was absolutely no exception. They stood together on the bridge, tired and a little worn out from the day's training, and as soon as he had dismissed them, Kakashi-sensei disappeared in a puff of smoke, reading his beloved "Icha Icha Paradise."

Once again, the three teammates stood there a few seconds longer, before Sasuke turned swiftly, calling over his shoulder, "I'm going home."

Sakura opened her mouth to let her usual, "Wait, Sasuke-kun!" flow from her lips, but with careful self-restraint, she snapped her jaw shut and looked away, fixing her gaze over the side of the railing of the bridge, watching the random fish that would occasionally swim by underneath. She wasn't going to give in this time around; she deserved more than that.

Not hearing Sakura's habitual reply, Sasuke slowed his pace a bit and wondered for a moment as to why she didn't say anything. It was strange, the feeling that was taking over him. What exactly was it? Disappointment? Confusion? Annoyance with himself at feeling a sense of loss? Or was it a little bit of everything? He shook his head as he silently berated himself for being foolish. Not having Sakura drool all over him was something he wanted…wasn't it? She annoyed him…right? He continued down the road, although he couldn't understand as to why he felt so upset.

* * *

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When you walk away, you don't hear me say

"Please, oh baby, don't go."

* * *

Naruto stared at his crush, bewildered with her abnormal behavior. Despite her obvious love for Sasuke, Naruto couldn't help but fall harder for the girl he had been crushing on forever. She had changed over the years, forcing herself to train harder, especially when she felt she was holding her team back. She really had grown stronger, for her team and especially for herself. He could see that with her newfound strength, her self-reliance had also increased, although somewhat subtly. She still wanted to pamper Sasuke, but never once did Sasuke really acknowledge how much she meant to him, even though she probably meant more to him than he let on. It made Naruto sick to his stomach to see him treat Sakura with such indifference, especially since she tried so hard to do what she felt would make him happy. The way Sakura tried to gain recognition from Sasuke was the way Naruto had always been trying to gain recognition from everyone in the village, and Naruto couldn't help but feel his heart open up to her, wanting to offer her the love that Sasuke refused to give her. He knew firsthand what rejection felt like, how it stung the soul, and it pained him more than he realized to see Sakura go through the same rejection he felt day by day.

"Sakura-chan?" he inquired, his voice unusually soft.

"Hm?" She moved slightly, folding her arms on top of the railing as she continued to study the water beneath them, refusing to look back at Sasuke's retreating form.

"Is something wrong?" Naruto inquired, concern brushing his lips into a tiny frown as he drew closer to her, copying her stance and looking down into the water as well.

"No," she sighed as a soft breeze caressed her pink tresses to gently dance away from her troubled green eyes.

"B-but, Sasuke just left," he replied blankly, quietly admiring how beautiful she looked at that moment.

"I know," she answered.

"B-but-"

"What?" she sighed again in exasperation. "I know. I always chase after him, right?" She paused, biting her lip. "I can't do that anymore, Naruto. I'm tired of it." Naruto remained quiet, not knowing how to reply, and he studied her discreetly from the corner of his eye. She was a little depressed, yes, but there was also something there in her expression that he rarely saw on her face: a silent resignation.

"I know how you feel," he found himself uttering, and he turned away, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, unable to believe that he'd spoken aloud.

"I know," she said softly after a few seconds, and when he looked at her, he was surprised to see her green eyes mirroring his own. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I never knew how much I hurt you all those times before." He tried to laugh it off.

"Sakura-chan!" he chuckled loudly. "No worries!"

"But I realize, now, that you really care about me," Sakura whispered suddenly, her cheeks flaming. "And I never did anything but treat you horribly-" Naruto cut her off by waving her comment away with his hand.

"Don't apologize, Sakura-chan!" he said, smiling brightly, noting at how her eyes grew misty, though she tried not to show it. He impulsively grabbed her hand and began to tug her along.

"N-Naruto!" she stuttered, as she almost stumbled. "Where are we going-"

"We're going to go eat some ramen!" he said. "Food always makes everyone happy, ne?" Allowing herself to be pulled along, Sakura curved her lips into a tiny smile, and Naruto noted with pleasure that instead of drawing her hand away, her fingers curved around his.

* * *

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Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning is a little later on

Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all

Nothing's like before

* * *

They arrived at Ichiraku after a casual ten-minute walk, and Naruto noticed that along the way, Sakura was beginning to liven up a bit, losing her dismal countenance and actually joking along with him.

And their hands were still connected when they entered the tiny shop together.

Sakura glanced over the customers in the shop and noticed that sitting in the corner were Ino and Shikamaru. Despite his early proclamation of hating girls, Shikamaru apparently changed his mind not too long after he had been promoted to a Chuunin. Ino and Shikamaru had been together for about four and a half years, and it didn't seem that their relationship would cool anytime soon.

Upon seeing the happy couple, Sakura thought back to a talk she had had with Ino just last week when she had asked about her relationship with Shikamaru.

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"Sometimes," Ino had said, _"the perfect person isn't the one you've been chasing, but the one who's been running with you by your side. Shikamaru was always right there. I just had to stop being stupid and open my eyes. As corny as that sounds, it's the absolute truth."_

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto's concerned voice cut through her thoughts, and she snapped back to reality, looking down at their joined hands for a moment, and Naruto shifted uncomfortably, thinking that maybe he had held on much longer than she wanted and loosened his grip.

He was surprised when Sakura's fingers tightened around his hand, and he gazed at her questioningly, searching her eyes for any indication of what she was feeling. He had wanted this for so long, but was she really ready to let go of Sasuke? Did she really want him for him or was he someone she was just settling for?

When their eyes locked, Sakura's eyes shone with something he'd never seen directed at him before, and Naruto started, recognizing it as the affectionate look she had always reserved for Sasuke and Sasuke alone. Naruto had always wanted for her to look at him that way, and now that it was happening, a warmth gathered in his center before spreading rapidly throughout his entire body, and he knew his cheeks were tinted with crimson strokes. He smiled foolishly at her, and she grinned back, tugging him to the counter next to Ino and Shikamaru.

A pair of feet paused at the entrance of the tiny shop, taking in the scene. A profusely blushing young woman emitted a cry almost too soft to hear as her eyes landed on a certain loud ninja, who happened to be laughing rather merrily at that moment. But with her sharp eyes, Hinata caught sight of the entwined hands displayed freely on the countertop, and she held back the gasp that threatened to escape from her mouth.

Naruto and…Sakura?

It was obvious that Naruto had always chased after his pink-haired teammate, but Hinata never dreamed that Sakura would actually give in and accept him. Sakura had always been fervently chasing after Sasuke, and it had always seemed that Naruto had no chance…

Hinata pivoted and fled, trying to hold back her sob. Her heart was crumbling within her, and she silently scolded herself for being so idiotic. It wasn't as if Naruto had ever given her any attention. Really, what right did she have to feel broken-hearted? True, she harbored her crush on him almost as long as he had harbored a crush on Sakura, but…

It still hurt.

Another pair of sharp eyes watched from a distance as he walked closer to the ramen shop. Sasuke stared in curiosity as Hinata ran wildly from Ichiraku, and he paused for a moment to gaze after her. She was really a shy girl, and he had never seen her run away in such a manner before. He shook his head as the rumbling of his stomach reminded him of why he was heading to the shop in the first place. Tired of his normal rice balls, he was in the mood for a steaming bowl of ramen, and with Sakura's rather indifferent attitude toward him when he had left after training, he was bothered enough to feel like he needed to treat himself out. Another complaint from his stomach forced Sasuke to take his mind off of Sakura; it wasn't as if he liked her like that anyway-

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'Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, baka,' a voice, his own personal Inner Sasuke, said sarcastically in his head, and he immediately shook his head to free himself from his thoughts.

He stepped inside, giving himself a second or two for his eyes to adjust to the lighting, and he headed to the counter before he stopped dead in his tracks. There they were, Naruto and Sakura, laughing freely with an audience, Ino and Shikamaru to be more precise, watching them with interest. Naruto was in the middle of telling some wild story, animatedly using his hands to illustrate the images he was trying to get across-

That was when Sasuke noticed the oddness of Naruto's movements. He wasn't using both hands; he was only using one as his other hand was occupied with holding something else.

Sakura's hand.

And she wasn't pulling away.

Sasuke felt as if someone had dealt a blow to his stomach as he was having a hard time breathing. A sudden possessiveness crept into his system, and he could feel the blood coursing through his veins, mixing in with a good dose of adrenaline. He clenched his hands into hard fists as he moved in their general direction, and when Sakura looked up and saw him, she let out a soundless gasp.

The laughter faded from her smile, and she bit her lip, gauging Sasuke's reaction. She was surprised to see the fists gripped tightly together at his sides, and she could tell by the tension in his grim expression that he was bothered, and extremely so.

"Hello, S-Sasuke-kun," she greeted with a forced smile, and she waited anxiously for his response.

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*~*~*~*

TBC…

Please review! ^_^ And please no flames ^_^ 


	2. Chapter Two

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DISCLAIMER: Naruto doesn't belong to me…he belongs to Hinata, puwahaha!   
Sakura: *glowers at author*   
Me: Eeep…uhm okay, Naruto belongs to Sakura-   
Hinata: *glowers at author*   
Me: Gah! Okay, you both can share him if you want, geez!   
Sasuke: *glowers at author*   
Me: Don't tell me you want him to! *sweatdrops* -_-'   
Sasuke: *grabs Naruto* Mine!   
Sakura & Hinata: NO! *attacks Sasuke* OURS!   
Naruto: *looks pleadingly to author* He-help me!   
Me: *backs away slowly* Heheh…uhm…I'M NOT PART OF THIS!!! *grabs Kakashi and runs away with him* muwahahaha!!!

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to those of you who've reviewed!!! *huggles reviewers* It seems that some of the reviews aren't showing up on the review page, so I guess ff.net is having problems again? What I forgot to mention in my first AN was that the characters are actually much older, being at least sixteen years old (possibly older, I haven't decided, heh). If they seem OOC, they've matured! ^_^ I think I've figured out who I want to end up with who, but of course, the ride WON'T be easy for any of them! *evil grin* Lots of love trianges, squares, pentagons, hexagons…hahaha! A little bit of good 'ole teenage angst is thrown in to kick things up a notch! Anyway, thanks again to those who've read and reviewed the story so far!

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Simple and Clean   
By: Goddess-Isis-112

* * *

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The laughter faded from her smile, and she bit her lip, gauging Sasuke's reaction. She was surprised to see the fists gripped tightly together at his sides, and she could tell by the tension in his grim expression that he was bothered, and extremely so.

"Hello, S-Sasuke-kun," she greeted with a forced smile, and she waited anxiously for his response.

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* * *

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Chapter Two

Sasuke's dark eyes met the emerald green of Sakura's as she jumped to her feet in front of him, and an emotion he had no name for somehow forced his heart to beat a little faster, and he frowned at her, almost as if blaming her for making him feel something he wasn't accustomed to. Her gaze was bright and hopeful as he continued to stare at her, and without warning, he felt his cheeks burn against his will. His frown intensified, especially when he felt another look, one slightly more threatening, directed at him. He broke his gaze from Sakura and found himself subject to Naruto's furious stare, one far more severe than the one Naruto usually flashed his way when training.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?!" Naruto growled angrily, baring his teeth a little when he stood up defensively.

"I'm hungry," Sasuke replied evenly. "That's why people come here, baka." 

"Stop calling me that, you arrogant freak!" Naruto yelled out angrily. The tension between the two grew as they stared each other down, and Sakura, once again caught in the middle, looked back and forth between the two, unsure as to what to do. However, as her eyes landed on Naruto, she could tell by the stiffness in his shoulders and the way he looked back at her, that he was scared. It wasn't because of Sasuke, but, she realized with a start, because he was terrified that Sakura was going to leave him for Sasuke once again. An inexplicable emotion flickered within her, and she found herself softening toward the blond, hot-headed ninja. Her feet moved as if they had a mind of their own, and she gently caught Naruto's arm and led him back to their seats.

"Don't mind him, Naruto," Sakura said in a low voice that only he could hear. "He only came to have dinner." The angry gaze melted away from Naruto's face, and she looked over her shoulder to Sasuke. "You can join us if you want to, Sasuke-kun." Naruto bit back a yelp of surprise, and once again, he narrowed his eyes heatedly at the Uchiha survivor. 

Damn it, why does he always have to interfere?! he thought to himself as he glared down at his ramen, but he was startled when Sakura reached over and took a hold of his hand. His head snapped to the side to stare at her with wide eyes, and she merely smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze as Sasuke walked calmly to take the seat beside Sakura and mumbled his order to the person behind the counter. 

Her small act of affection did not go unnoticed by Sasuke, and he sneered in Naruto's direction. His irritation with the blond ninja only grew when Naruto plastered a gloating smile on his face, as if to say, _Ha-ha-I'm-holding-Sakura's-hand-and-you're-not!_

"So you're together now, is that it?" Sasuke said, breaking the silence, and Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to think of how to answer him, but Naruto didn't hesitate and guffawed loudly.

"It's obvious isn't it!" he replied as Sakura sighed, her cheeks reddening, but much to her surprise, Sasuke glared as his hand formed a fist on the counter. His mouth was set in a grim line, almost as if trying to restrain himself from saying something he needed to say.

"Make my order to go!" he barked out, and a few seconds later, he had his order in a sealed Styrofoam cup, and he slammed his money on the counter. Without another word, Sasuke turned around and silently walked out the same way he walked in, leaving Sakura to stare after him.

"Sasuke-kun…?" Sakura whispered, her eyes wide as she watched his quiet retreat.

Immediately, she stood from her seat and nearly raced out to follow him, but a gentle tug on her hand brought her attention back to Naruto whose mouth was turned down into a hurtful frown as he stared at her sadly.

"I thought that you were trying to let him go…?" he said in an uncharacteristically soft tone before letting her hand drop from his grasp. "Why w-would you run after him, then…? Did you just-" he took a deep breath, "-use me…to make Sasuke jealous…?"

"No, Naruto, of course not!" she said, and her face crumbled, suddenly feeling incredibly confused and torn. "I wouldn't do that, especially not to you, Naruto. It's just that…" Her voice trailed off, her words failing her. She wanted to stay with Naruto, and yet…she'd never seen Sasuke react that way, at least toward her. In the few seconds he had been in the shop, his whole attitude screamed that he was upset, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what it was that got him so worked up. The hope she had given up on was once again ignited by his reaction, and she wanted to make the most of whatever chance she had.

Then her eyes locked with Naruto's, and for a moment, she found herself drowning in the oceanic hue of his blue eyes, and she could see his feelings reflected there in his gaze: concern, trust, but more importantly, pure and simple love. Her stomach was churning in some unnatural way as she realized just how much he cared for her. Whenever Sasuke rejected her date offers, Naruto was always there, willing to fill in the void that Sasuke had left in her wallowing heart, and over and over, she refused to acknowledge his presence. Despite her horrible treatment of him, he never gave up on her; he was always there to cheer her on when she needed encouragement, and he was always there to catch her when she stumbled. He believed in her and accepted her for who she was, no questions asked. What Naruto did and endured for her surpassed the conduct of a regular teammate; it was more than that, much more. Drowning in the deep abyss of his cerulean eyes, Sakura found the truth of how large a role Naruto played in her life.

Naruto knew she was reading the emotions on his face and decided not to hide what he felt. Sakura was finally there with him of her own free will; he had waited for so long, and at last, after all their long years together, Sakura was there with him because she wanted to be. Things had been going more smoothly than he had imagined before Sasuke had arrived; without Sasuke there, Sakura was finally able to just relax and enjoy the company of others without having to worry about what Sasuke thought of her. Gone was the girl who cared only about how to impress the Uchiha survivor. In her place was the real Haruno Sakura, free of the oppressive burden of always putting Sasuke above everyone else, including even herself. It was Naruto's ultimate chance to be the one who held her attention, to show who he really was without his rival there to make him look like an idiot. He was going to let her know how much he cared for her, how far he was willing to go for her. He wasn't going to lose to Sasuke this time around.

Damn you, Sasuke, he thought grimly when he saw Sakura's own emotional battle contorting the features on her face as she cast a fleeting look to where Sasuke had been moments before. _It's my turn, Sasuke, and I'm _not_ going to let you ruin this- _

But when Naruto gazed into her misty eyes, he saw nothing but conflict in her gaze and, with his heart sinking, realized that no matter how much he wanted to prevent her from running back to Sasuke, holding her there against her will would only make her desire his rival even more. There was no way Naruto wanted to see Sakura with Sasuke, but he'd rather give up his own happiness to see her smile again. _When you love someone, you have to learn to let them go,_ he thought dismally to himself.

"Sakura-chan," he whispered. "Look, I know I may act stupid at times, but it's been years…and I've always been there for you. I don't want to see you hurt again, especially if Sasuke is the reason for it. I'm not good with words, and I always say the wrong things, but…" He reached out and reached for both of her hands. "…But, I c-care about you, and i-if you really don't feel the w-way I do, then…then I won't hold you back."

"W-what?" she stuttered in surprise. "You're willing to let me go…?"

"Like I said, I may act stupid at times, but even I know not to force you to be with me if you don't want to be," he said, giving her hands a squeeze before stepping away from her. "It'll only make you sad, and if that's the case…then, it's only obvious what I should do."

"Naruto," she whispered, gazing up at him as if she were looking at him for the first time. _He's really growing up_, she thought to herself as she studied him. _He never ceases to amaze me…_His cheeks colored slightly under her scrutiny, and he turned away to head back toward the counter.

"It's only because I…I-I really love you, Sakura-chan," he said over his shoulder, and he walked slowly over to his seat, unable to believe that he'd finally spoken the words he had wanted to tell her for the longest time.

Sakura, rendered speechless and motionless, could only stare at Naruto's back as he shuffled to the counter, and her gaze moved to Ino and Shikamaru, both of whom had been watching the entire scene, and they merely shrugged, not knowing how exactly to advise her. She looked back at Naruto, noticing his slumped shoulders as he leaned protectively over his bowl of miso ramen, and holding her breath, she knew there was only one decision she could make to stop her heart from breaking. She gulped with resolve and took a step toward the exit…

A few blocks away in a deserted alley, Hinata tried to calm herself down by hugging her arms around herself to ward off the chill that had consumed her, but it was of no use. She was still alone, and Naruto was still in the ramen stand with Sakura. Nothing was ever going to change the fact that her crush had finally succeeded in grabbing the pink-haired girl's affections. Another salty drop fell from her exotically clear eyes, and she wiped it away as she tried to stifle back the sob that wanted to erupt from her chest. _Breathe, Hinata, just breathe!_ she ordered herself silently. _It isn't the end of the world! Just because they were holding hands doesn't mean they're really t-together! It's not like they're engaged!_ But try as she might, even her inner monologue could not convince herself that she still had a fighting chance with Naruto. Frustration welled up within her, and she clenched her tiny hands into tight fists, slamming them against the wall she leaned upon.

"If only I'd told him sooner!" she berated herself harshly, and a friendly bark echoed through the backstreet, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Told who what?" a loud voice called out to her, its owner giving her a wide, toothy grin as he sauntered over to her.

"K-Kiba-kun!" she stuttered, hurriedly rubbing her hands over her eyes to wipe the evidence of tears away.

"When you didn't come back to the training grounds with the ramen, Shino and I got a little worried," Kiba explained, and Akamaru gave a bark in confirmation. "So what didn't you say to who?"

"W-what..?"

"You were mumbling about wanting to say something to someone?" he said, and Hinata felt her face flush with embarrassment as her mind raced for a good excuse to use.

"W-well, I-I t-thought t-that I had my money with me, b-but when I got to the ramen shop, I realized t-that I'd forgotten m-my purse at home, so I-I was just thinking outloud th-that maybe I should have taken the money you offered earlier-"

"Was that all it was!" Kiba laughed loudly, patting Hinata on the shoulder as he steered her out of the dark alleyway. "There's no need to fret over things like that! You should've just come back and told us instead of dwelling on it in that alley!" He waved away her apology when she began to speak again. "Don't worry about it, Hinata! Let's go back to Ichiraku and get some ramen!"

"B-but, b-but…" There was no way she wanted to go back. If she saw Naruto with Sakura again, it would only reestablish that the nightmare she had seen was really reality, and she wasn't sure if she could compose herself this time around.

Thinking that Hinata was going to protest about his paying for their dinner, Kiba waved her off again, guffawing noisily. "Really, Hinata, it's alright!" he chuckled. "There's nothing to worry about!" He walked confidently down the sidewalk with Hinata trailing after him, and she dreaded each step that brought her closer to facing the horrible scene she had witnessed earlier. She desperately looked from side to side, searching for a distraction, _any_ distraction, that could occupy her time, just so she wouldn't have to step foot in the ramen stand again that night. But as luck would have it, shops around the area were already closing for the day, and as they neared the ramen shop, Hinata braced herself to face Naruto and Sakura again.

Naruto glared down at his steaming bowl of ramen, almost as if blaming the inanimate object for his rotten luck. He had hoped that by showing that he only cared for her happiness, Sakura would chose him and not run out of the shop looking for Sasuke, but when she didn't sit back down next to him after more than a few seconds of intense silence, he hadn't bothered to look up and concluded that she left the ramen stand, searching for his eternal rival, Sasuke. He snapped a pair of chopsticks and sighed, accepting the fact that no matter what he did, Sakura would never ever return his feelings. _Well, at least I have some ramen to cheer me up!_ he thought as a sad smile spread on his face.

Suddenly, two warm arms snaked around his waist in a fierce embrace, and a soft cheek pressed against the curve where his shoulder met his neck, and he snapped his head to the side, his eyes widening as he looked directly into a pair of brilliant green eyes.

"I thought you left?" he stammered, his face growing hot, and Sakura tightened her hold on him as she shook her head.

"I was going to," she answered truthfully, "but…I couldn't." She disentangled herself and took her seat next to him, reaching across to take his hand in hers, and she smiled softly when their fingers intertwined.

"Why not…?" he questioned, his eyes wide as if he hadn't heard her clearly. "Don't you want to be with Sasuke instead-"

"I want to be with someone who cares about me," she cut in, "as much as I care for him." If it were possible, Naruto's eyes grew even larger in disbelief.

"I told myself today that I wasn't going to chase him anymore, Naruto," she said, never tearing her gaze from his, "and I'm sticking to what I said. I d-don't deserve to be ignored…just like you don't either." She giggled a little, her cheeks reddening, but Naruto stared at her wearily.

"You're not doing this because you feel sorry for me, are you?" Naruto said, pulling his hand away from her as he nursed his bowl of ramen. "Because if it's just out of pity, then I don't want to be any part of it-" But his words were cut off when Sakura quickly leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. Naruto, taken completely by surprise, was frozen to his place, not exactly sure of how to move much less respond to her kiss, and after a few more seconds of his not moving at all, Sakura, slightly disappointed, started to pull away. Naruto, finally alarmed out of his immobility, pulled her back to him. He cupped her chin in his hand, and he gulped as he took in the breathtaking sight of Sakura smiling at him before closing her eyes, tilting her head up to wait for him, and without hesitation, Naruto's lips descended upon hers, his own eyes closing as their lips moved against each other's, the sweet friction causing both their hearts to jump around in wild ecstasy.

"Hey, Shikamaru," Ino whispered in a hushed tone as they studied the couple next to them. "This looks familiar, doesn't it?" He nodded in response, a faint smile tugging on his lips.

"It's almost the same," he answered, "but unlike Naruto, I wasn't so idiotic-looking when I…admittedmyfeelingstoyou." Ino grinned at the cute way he rushed his words at the end of his sentence, and unable to let the opportunity slip, her eyes lit up with mischief.

"I beg to differ," Ino teased lightly, and when he frowned, she laughed, leaning close to plant a gentle kiss on his scowling lips.

"I wasn't idiotic," he defended grumpily, his cheeks red.

"Yes, you were," Ino joked, "but it was so cute! I like it when you're like that."

"Fine, fine," he sighed, though a hint of his earlier smile was back on his face. "You're too troublesome."

"But you love it."

"Hai."

"Hey, Ino," Sakura interrupted, just as Ino leaned toward Shikamaru for another kiss, and the blond glared in annoyance at her reinstated best friend.

"What is it?" she questioned impatiently.

"I just wanted to say bye," Sakura replied, smirking as if she had planned to wait until they were about to kiss to interrupt them. "Naruto and I are leaving-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ino cut in with feigned anger before she gave them a tiny wave. "Don't stay out too late, kids." They watched as Naruto shyly grabbed a hold of Sakura's hand as they turned to go, but not before they nearly collided with another pair: Kiba and Hinata.

"Oi, Naruto, watch where you're going, baka!" Kiba greeted with a large smile, and Hinata merely stared at the floor after catching a glimpse of the couple she dreaded meeting.

"Why does EVERYONE call me THAT!" Naruto erupted, fire in his eyes.

"G-go-gomen nasai, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered in a hushed tone so soft that they all had to strain their ears to hear her. "Kiba-kun didn't mean anything by it."

"Hmph," Naruto grunted, still glaring at the boy and his dog as Sakura bestowed a friendly smile upon Hinata.

"Hi, Hinata!" she said cheerfully, but before Hinata could reply, Akamaru whimpered in what sounded like a question, and Kiba tilted his head to study the two standing in front of him.

"Say, are you two going out, like as a couple or something?!" he bellowed loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, and Hinata forced herself to look up, wanting to know the truth. She watched as Naruto and Sakura turned to each other, both their cheeks aflame before Naruto gave a confirming nod, grinning widely, and Sakura answered with a happy, "Yup!"

Feeling as if her entire chest had just collapsed, Hinata felt her knees grow unsteady at the news, and she forced her lip to stop trembling; she had to do something, _anything_, to keep herself from running away.

"B-but," Hinata stuttered suddenly, just as Kiba was about to congratulate them, "what about Sasuke-kun…?" She immediately regretted her words when she saw Naruto's face fall at the mention of his name, and instead of going starry-eyed over Uchiha like Hinata expected her to, Sakura, taking notice of Naruto's reaction, merely straightened up, holding on firmly to Naruto's hand.

"Sasuke-kun had his chance," Sakura said in a confident tone, shrugging and smiling brightly at the shy girl as Naruto's face lit up at Sakura's reply, "and I stopped being foolish."

"Good for you!" Kiba declared, laughing.

"Sh-Shino-kun is wa-waiting for us," Hinata said, wanting more than anything to get away from Naruto and Sakura. "We-we should hurry with the food-"

"Right!" Kiba agreed, and Naruto and Sakura waved goodbye as they walked out of the stand together hand in hand, and as they left, a pair of sharp eyes heatedly trailed after them from the shadows just around the corner of the shop.

Sasuke had been finishing the last of his ramen in silence when Sakura had finally walked out, but much to his dismay, he realized that Naruto was still with her.

"What the hell is going on…?" he muttered, and he had to admit to himself that when he had left the ramen stand in a hurry, he expected Sakura to come after him seconds later, and he waited to see if it would happen, only out of mere curiosity of course. As the minutes passed by, however, there still had been no sign of her, and he was about ready to go home when she finally left the shop…with Naruto.

"What the hell is she thinking…?" he asked himself as he stared at the pair making their way down the street, once again connected at the hands. Not knowing what he himself was doing, Sasuke followed a good distance away, but close enough to hear her giggle when Naruto paused a moment to pluck a nadeshiko flower from a group that grew wild on the side of the road, and Sakura tucked it behind her ear, the colors of the flower nicely complimenting the color of her hair.

"This isn't right…" Sasuke murmured as he felt his heart thump madly in his chest, adrenaline pumping through each of his veins, but he grew cold when Naruto leaned down and closed the distance between himself and Sakura. It was as if time had suddenly decided to torture Sasuke further when Naruto's lips met hers in seemingly slow motion, and Sasuke let out a low snarl as he pivoted around in anger. He didn't care if they heard him or not; all he knew was that he wanted to get away as fast as he could.

He didn't slow down even when Sakura called out his name, and he increased his speed when he heard footsteps running after him. As he turned the corner, he collided with two other boys and with a painful thud, all three landed in a heap on the floor. They were scrambling to their feet just as Sakura finally reached them.

"Sakura-san!" one of them greeted as he flashed her a wide, toothy grin and dusted off the dirt from his green bodysuit.

"H-Hello, Lee-san," Sakura muttered in surprise as the other rose to his feet, "and hi, Neji." The older ninja merely nodded, his clear eyes studying her as she offered her hand to Sasuke, who begrudgingly took it to pull himself up. Sasuke tried to ignore the tingling sensation in his stomach when her hand touched his, but he held onto her longer than was necessary before letting go.

"So, what are you doing on this fine evening, Sakura-san?" Lee asked, smiling madly with a twinkle in his eye. 

"Chasing after Uchiha again?" Neji commented, smirking slightly, and Sakura shook her head fervently.

"No, it's not what you think-" she stammered, frowning a little at Sasuke, and Lee laughed enthusiastically, seeing the look of contempt she flashed at Uchiha.

"It's my chance!" Lee whispered to himself in excitement. "She seems angry with him!" Then, a little louder, he addressed her. "Uhm, if you're not doing anything, let's go out on a date, Sakura-san!"

"YEAH RIGHT!" a loud voice called over as Naruto caught up with them. "NO WAY IS SHE GOING ON A DATE WITH YOU, THICK-BROWS!"

"Like you have any say in it, Naruto-kun-" Lee scowled, but blinked twice when Naruto walked over to Sakura, taking her hand in his to establish his new role in Sakura's life. "What the…"

"Uhm, Lee-san, Naruto is…uhm…" Sakura stammered nervously. She hadn't exactly been expecting to let the whole entire village know so soon. "We're together," she finally decided on saying, and Lee looked thunderstuck at the news.

"What…?" His unnaturally large eyes were even wider than normal as he stared at her in disbelief, looking back and forth between her serious face and the idiotic grin Naruto had plasterd on his. The girl he had had a crush on for years was finally taken by, out of all people, _Naruto_, and Lee was shocked speechless and made no protest when Neji merely shrugged and dragged him away. Sasuke saw his chance to escape when Sakura looked dejectedly at Lee, but when Sasuke turned to leave, she called out to him.

"Sasuke-kun, we need to talk," she said, and he paused, sighing in exasperation.

"There's nothing to talk about," he replied flatly.

"Yes, there is!" she argued angrily. "You have absolutely NO reason to act the way you are right now!" 

"And how exactly am I acting?" he growled back at her, his eyes narrowing.

"You don't know?" She gawked at him when his only answer was an indifferent shrug, infuriating her even more. "First, you come into the ramen stand, looking at me as if _I'd_ done _you_ wrong, and afterwards, you have the audacity to follow and spy on me and Naruto! We've done nothing to you, and yet you're treating us as if…as if…" She struggled with her words when tears started to build in her eyes. "As if we betrayed you."

"You did," Sasuke found himself whispering at the sight of her tears.

"What?" she questioned, confused and slightly even more enraged. "How the hell did we betray-"

"You're always saying you love me, Sakura," Sasuke blurted out, "and yet, you leave and run off with _him_. How do you expect me to react-" His words were cut off when he found his head whipping to the side at the impact of her hand slapping against his cheek, and he had to shake his head a little to keep the ringing in his head to a minimum. He was stunned that she had actually hit him that hard, and when a metallic saltiness found its way onto his tongue, he realized that he had bit the inner lining of his lip when she had slapped him. He stared at her in silence, watching as her shoulders heaved with emotion, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't you dare say any more," she muttered in a dangerously low voice. "I loved you Uchiha Sasuke. I loved you and chased after you for years, always forcing myself to do better, to be stronger, just so I wouldn't be separated from you. I took your insults without question, I tried to do my best just for you to recognize me, and not once, NOT ONCE did you ever acknowledge me. I stayed by your side when you were injured; I took care of you when no one else was there, but you never ever showed your gratitude. And yet, I stuck by you, hoping, always hoping that maybe, just maybe you'd flash a rare smile in my direction. That was all I wanted from you, but I never ever got it." She paused long enough to wipe her tears away, and for the first time in a long time, Sasuke felt as if he couldn't breathe, couldn't move. He couldn't do anything to stop the pain that throbbed within his chest, and he realized that this unpleasant sensation was coming from his heart, and it was breaking. Sakura sniffed and cleared her throat before she continued. "How do you expect me to stay in love with you when you never gave me a reason to, Sasuke-kun?" Her watery eyes turned to look at Naruto, who gave her a feeble smile, encouraging her to go on, and she leaned against him for support. "Naruto isn't like you because he has something that I don't think you even have: a heart." With that, she tugged on Naruto's hand, and they started to walk away, just as Sasuke blinked back the sudden wetness in his eyes, but he wasn't going to let her walk away just like that.

"Of course I don't have a heart!" he yelled at them as they continued on their path. "You stole it from me a long time ago, Sakura…" He saw her stiffen as she looked back at him, biting her lip to prevent herself from crying. "You've had it for a long time," he went on as Naruto sneered at him.

"SHUT UP-" Naruto started to yell, but Sakura motioned for him to stop.

"I give it back to you, then, Sasuke-kun," she shot back, turning away abruptly as she pulled Naruto along. "I don't want something that's of no use to me, especially since its dysfunctional." A severe pain stabbed into him, as if Sakura had in fact butchered him with a knife; her words were sharp and intended to wound him, and he felt he was dying. His vision blurred, and turning in the opposite direction, he ran home, grateful that the sun had now completely dipped beneath the horizon. He didn't want anyone to witness his falling tears.

*~*~*

TBC…

Sorry about all that angst! And I haven't exactly checked over my grammar or spelling for that matter since it's pretty late, and I'm sleepy. Please review! No flames! Arigatou!


	3. Chapter Three

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DISCLAIMER: Once again, I don't own anything. Sigh. And if the characters are OOC…hell that's what happens a lot in FAN FICTION. ^_^

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am SO sorry for the long delay! I've been swamped with papers to write for Film Theory…and if any of you have taken a course on the critical analysis of Film Theory before, you know how crazy the papers end up being o_0...It's surprising that I even find time to sleep…Anyway, thank you all for your reviews, and I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to put up Chapter Three! I can't promise quick updates, especially since I've got tons of research to do for my classes…Sigh.  


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Simple and Clean   
By: Goddess-Isis-112   
_© 2003, Valerie Royo_  


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"Of course I don't have a heart!" he yelled at them as they continued on their path. "You stole it from me a long time ago, Sakura…" He saw her stiffen as she looked back at him, biting her lip to prevent herself from crying. "You've had it for a long time," he went on as Naruto sneered at him.

"SHUT UP-" Naruto started to yell, but Sakura motioned for him to stop.

"I give it back to you, then, Sasuke-kun," she shot back, turning away abruptly as she pulled Naruto along. "I don't want something that's of no use to me, especially since its dysfunctional." A severe pain stabbed into him, as if Sakura had in fact butchered him with a knife; her words were sharp and intended to wound him, and he felt he was dying. His vision blurred, and turning in the opposite direction, he ran home, grateful that the sun had now completely dipped beneath the horizon. He didn't want anyone to witness his falling tears.  


***  


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Chapter Three  


Naruto sat in quiet contemplation on the roof of his apartment complex with Sakura leaning into him as they gazed at the Hokage Memorial. Their intertwined fingers lay just between them, and Naruto glanced down, as if mesmerized by the sight. Never in his dreams did he think that the day would come when he would be spending the evening with _his_ Sakura-chan, holding her hand the way he was at that moment, studying the Hokage Memorial beneath the bright moonlight. He had always wished for it and had always hoped it would happen, but with Sasuke around, Naruto was never too sure it ever would.

Yet, for once in his life, fate had been kind and granted him one of his many wishes. He was there with Haruno Sakura, the girl he had been in love with for ages. He smiled against her hair, taking in the comfortable whiff of sakura blossoms she fittingly smelt of, and he glanced up at the heavens, thanking whatever deities made it all possible.

"…Naruto?" Sakura said quietly, tugging him away from his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Now that we're a little older, you look a lot like him…like Yondaime," she said, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him a moment before turning her gaze back to the Memorial.

"Jiraiya-sama said almost the exact same thing to me," he said. "Humph! But I'm far more devilishly handsome." He grinned widely at her, as if to prove his point, and she merely giggled, shaking her head at him.

"I _guess_ so," she teased, tilting her head against his, and she smiled when she felt his fingers tighten their hold on her hand.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you really happy…you know, with your decision?" he asked, letting his insecurity slip into his tone for the first time, and Sakura straightened in alarm, studying his solemn face as he stared out to the town below. "It's just, when Sasuke finally said something…of how he really felt…I was scared." It was disconcerting to see him so vulnerable, especially when Naruto was anything but, given any situation.

"I understand," she replied, "but after all that's happened between the three of us, there was one thing that remained constant, one thing that never ever wavered." She smiled at him and pulled him in for a small hug, and he relaxed in her embrace. "Your feelings for me were always there, and you were never ever afraid to admit it. That's what made me fall for you, Naruto. I can trust you." He sighed when she snuggled against him, burying her face against his chest as she closed her eyes in contentment. 

She didn't see his frown.

***

Sakura approached the bridge where Team Seven met every morning and wasn't at all surprised to see Sasuke waiting there alone. A little of her anger from the night before was triggered when she saw him leaning so casually against the bridge railing, but along with it, she felt a twinge of guilt for what she had said to him. She had admitted to herself afterwards when she had settled into bed the night before that maybe her words were a little _too _harsh. Sasuke wasn't one to openly declare his feelings the way he had, and Sakura had been too angry to realize how much it must have taken him to say what he did.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," she greeted solemnly, and he flicked his eyes in her direction before returning his gaze to the water below them.

"Aa," he responded, and she drew closer to him, noticing the bags under his beautiful eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…?" she began, and when she didn't continue, he turned to give her his full attention.

"What?" he asked bluntly, carefully hiding the fact that being that close to her again made him feel even more empty than usual. Her words haunted him all through the night, and no matter what he did, he couldn't abate the hurt that still lingered within him. He hated her for getting to him, for making herself such a staple in his life, and above all, he blamed himself for not realizing sooner how much she really meant to him.

"About last night, I'm sorry about what I said to you," she apologized, lowering her gaze. "I was so angry that I said some things that I shouldn't have said-"

"Doesn't matter," he cut in abruptly.

"I was harsh," she continued as if he hadn't interrupted, her eyes softening. "You didn't deserve any of it…not most of it anyway." She let out a forced chuckle that quickly died when he didn't reply and merely stared at her when she finished, and she smiled sadly at him. "Was it true?"

"What?"

"What you said last night," she clarified. "About, you know…your heart…?" Sasuke felt his cheeks redden and he looked away from her, making sure to keep a scowl on his face.

"Doesn't matter," he repeated. "It's not like it would change what happened-"

"Thank you," she said modestly. "Knowing your feelings…it means a lot to me."

"Aa," he answered brusquely, every cell in his body attuned to her close proximity. The wind had picked up slightly and playfully blew the strands of her pink hair across her face, shielding one of her brilliant green eyes from his gaze. Without another thought, he reached over, tucking the mischievous lock behind her ear, his fingertips brushing gently across her cheek. She flushed immediately, as did he, and he snatched his hand back as she recoiled away from him, looking in the opposite direction, distinct relief written on her face that their noisy, blond teammate had yet to make his appearance.

"Sorry," he muttered, shaking his head. "Don't know why I did that."

"It's okay," she said back, shuffling a bit on her feet with her arms folded over her chest. "I was just surprised."

"Aa." Once again, irritation flared at his indifference to everything and anything, and Sakura quietly frowned at him but said no more.

An awkward silence fell between the two of them, and conversation ceased altogether, both not knowing how to respond to what had just surpassed between them. The breeze picked up again, this time a little stronger, and Sakura shivered, turning her back to Sasuke as she discreetly trailed her own fingers down her cheek along the same path Sasuke's had followed just seconds before. _'Damn it, Sasuke!'_ Inner Sakura sobbed. _'Why now, why, why, why, why, WHY?!'_

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" a voice broke through her reverie, and she erased her troubled expression in time to greet Naruto with a smile.

"'Morning, Naruto-kun," she replied as he ran toward her, nearly knocking her down as he rushed to wrap his arms around her.

Sasuke watched them from the corner of his eye, and his scowl deepened, knowing that once again he was jealous of Naruto, not because of the immense power he was capable of, but because this time, Naruto was the one who got a hold of the only girl that Sasuke had ever allowed to get close to him. He observed Sakura blush prettily when Naruto proceeded to plant an affectionate kiss on her lips. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what it was like kissing Sakura, and he turned away angrily, knowing that now that she was with Naruto, Sasuke would never get his chance to find out. 

Just then, Kakashi arrived, much earlier than was normal for him, appearing in a cloud of smoke right behind Naruto and Sakura. His visible eye eagerly drank in the sight of the kiss, and Sakura pulled away from Naruto, fire in her eyes as she shook her fist angrily at Kakashi for rudely staring at what was supposed to be a private, personal moment between Naruto and her. Kakashi merely crinkled his eye and tilted his head as he smiled innocently behind his mask.

"Y-you pervert!" Sakura berated, hands on her hips in an uncanny impression of Ino when angered. "Why ruin your record and arrive on time?" With that question, Kakashi's face grew solemn, much to the surprise of his team.

"There is something we have to discuss," he answered simply.

"What is it, sensei?" Naruto asked.

"As you know, with the fall of Orochimaru, we've been able to have peace for a short while, though we've been keeping tabs on a few of his former subordinates," Kakashi explained, lacking his usual aloofness. "Now, we haven't been able to hold a Chuunin exam nor send Genin teams off to other Countries because of the high risk of ambushes from Sound and Sand. However all three of you are on Chuunin level, as are most of the Genins your age."

"What is going on, Sensei?" Sakura asked quietly, when Kakashi paused, as if to measure his words carefully before speaking.

"A few of our ANBU spies have obtained scrolls that support the rumor we've been hearing about," Kakashi replied slowly. "Orochimaru's subordinates are planning to attack Konoha once again, and they've teamed up with those of the Akatsuki, though we haven't any idea of what deal they've made with them-"

"The what?" Naruto cut in.

"The Akatsuki, a group of 9 shinobis with no allegiance to any of the major Hidden Villages," Kakashi explained. "They travel separately in groups of two, gathering and assembling new jutsus as well as working as paid mercenaries." He paused. "Most of them have been written down in the bingo book because they're highly dangerous."

"What exactly does this lead to?" Sasuke demanded bluntly. "When are they to attack?"

"It is estimated in two days, three at the latest," their sensei sighed heavily, "which is why I'm telling you all of this. We have to be on our guard because this might be the start of a new war."

"What do they want from Konoha?" Uchiha growled. "Why are Orochimaru's subordinates coming back?"

"It's me, isn't it?" a plaintive voice answered, and they turned to stare at Naruto who had grown quiet. "Because…of what's inside of me, right sensei? They tried to get me before when I was training with Jiraiya-sama."

"Yes," Kakashi answered, "but it's not just you this time. We have reason to believe they're going after a couple of others as well."

"Who else…?" Sakura asked, terrified.

"…The heir of the Hyuuga clan is also targeted as well as it's genius Branch member," he informed heavily. "They want the power of the Byakugan."

"But that means…" Sakura glanced wearily at Naruto who grew distraught at the news. Since their first Chuunin exam, Naruto had grown a deep-rooted respect for Hinata, especially after the way she handled herself in her battle with Neji.

"They're also after Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji," Kakashi confirmed with a nod. "Because of that, the Hidden Village of Cloud is also joining Sound and Sand in attacking Konoha-"

"Because of what had happened with Neji's father!" Naruto cut in, his eyes wide. "They couldn't get the Byakugan from him because of the cursed seal he carried, which erased all traces of it when he died! That was what he was talking about during the 3rd exam…"

"Correct." Their teacher was solemn.

"Then why would they want Neji?" Sakura asked in confusion. "If they murdered him, they wouldn't be able to get the secrets of the Byakugan since he has the same cursed seal his father had-"

"We haven't all the details," Kakashi sighed, "but we are pretty sure that they don't know that which is why the Cloud Country hasn't complained about being unable to extract the secrets of the Byakugan from Neji's father. They've heard of his abilities because of the Chuunin exam that was held here a few years ago."

"So what part are we to play in all of this?" Sasuke could barely contain the anger in his voice. "You said the Akatsuki was going to attack with the others, didn't you? That means…that means-"

"Yes," Kakashi whispered, lowering his head. "Itachi is coming back, Sasuke. However, I must warn you that you can't leave the village because of what happened before-"

"I know," he growled out, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"You should be grateful that Tsunade-sama was lenient in allowing you to return instead of having you executed," Kakashi continued.

"I KNOW!" Sasuke lashed out, breathing heavily. "I know that I can't do anything, okay?!"

"I can read those eyes of yours," Kakashi muttered, "and I don't like what's going on in your mind one bit, Sasuke-"

"Who asked you to?" he shot back, glaring hatefully, his hand instinctively going to the crook of his neck where his cursed seal used to dwell before it faded with Orochimaru's demise. "Don't worry about me. I know better now."

__

Do you really? Kakashi wanted to question, but kept silent as he studied his subordinate.

"We can't let them get Naruto!" Sakura's voice was hoarse and she reached out to clutch Naruto's hand in her own. "They might…t-they might-"

"Kill me?" Naruto finished quietly for her, and she shut her eyes at the words, moving even closer to him.

"That's a possibility we'll have to deal with," Kakashi answered, shrugging, "which is why all three of you must be alert at all times. It has been decided that the targets, Hinata, Neji, and you Naruto, will have a group accompany you during the next few days. You won't be able to wander off alone-"

"But-" Naruto started to protest.

"It's for your own good," his sensei cut in abruptly. "I know you are all older now, and that you've all grown tremendously during this tumultuous time, but you will not be left alone under any circumstances."

"I can protect myself!" Naruto growled, his injured pride ruling over his common sense. "I've done so before, and I don't need any fucking help-"  


"Naruto…" Kakashi's voice trailed off in warning, and Sakura squeezed his hand, her green eyes pleading with him to calm down.

"NO! I understand why I'm a target, but I'm a strong enough ninja-"

In the blink of an eye, Kakashi suddenly appeared behind the stubborn shinobi, his hand crushed against Naruto's mouth, muffling his protests. "If you can't even escape from me, how do you except to dodge those who are stronger than me?"

"Show off," Naruto sputtered when Kakashi relinquished his hold on him before folding his arms across his chest.

"So that's our mission then?" Naruto frowned. "I just have to sit and hide while all of you protect me?!"

"Because we've been a team over the past few years, I'd like to think we've gotten pretty close," Kakashi commented wistfully, "which is why it would be wise to stick together. They might try to attack those precious to you…which is also why all of us, especially you and Sakura, have to be extra careful. Don't think of it as guarding just you, Naruto. Think of it as the best way to protect all of us."

Naruto growled angrily. "If EVER they lay a filthy hand on Sakura-"

"They won't," Sasuke confirmed just as fervently, his eyes flashing.

"Of course not!" Sakura scowled angrily. "I've grown stronger, too! Don't forget that. I'm not the same cry-baby I used to be." She straightened a bit, her eyes set in steely determination, and Kakashi smiled secretly beneath his mask.

"Now that all of that is established, I suggest you clean your apartment, Naruto, and make it somewhat fit for human habitation," Kakashi continued. "Sakura, Sasuke, pack a few things to last you a week, or more even-"

"Wh-what?" His three subordinates blinked blankly at him.

"Didn't any of you understand what I meant when I said we'd have to stick together?" Kakashi asked innocently as his visible eye crinkled.

Sasuke paled. "Y-you don't mean-?" The smile beneath Kakashi's mask seemed to grow wider as the cloth moved and folded with his lips.

"Yup! Along with an ANBU team, we're moving in with Naruto until this all ends!"

*****

  
TBC...   
Okay, I don't know where I'm going with this. LOL. Please review!


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